COLD SORES

They’re painful. They’re embarrassing. And they love to show up when life gets stressful. Here’s how to keep cold sores at bay.

- ANNA SHARRATT

Like an unwanted guest who shows up when you least expect them, cold sores are soul-sucking nuisances Just ask anyone who deals with the periodic eruption of nasty red blisters around their mouth. And the emotional toll can be dramatic, despite the fact that sufferers are in good company: One in five Canadians gets cold sores. Still, a lot of people go into seclusion during an outbreak, says Rachael Manion, executive director of the Canadian Skin Patient Alliance. For a more proactive approach, here’s your needto-know and how-to-deal guide.

What are they?

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) — or, less commonly, the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) — and they manifest as pus-filled blisters around the mouth. After you get infected, the virus stays in your body for the rest of your life. Another annoying quality? They can feel like they take forever to heal, lasting for up to three weeks before the blisters crust over and fall off.